Barack Obama last night agreed to ‘prioritise’ the case of the last British resident held in Guantanamo Bay after David Cameron raised his plight in talks at the White House.

Sources said the US President had acknowledged the ‘importance’ of speeding up consideration of Shaker Aamer for release to the UK in talks at the White House.

The Prime Minister cautioned it would take time to secure Mr Aamer’s return, but said President Obama was committed to closing the controversial detention camp established by George W Bush before leaving office in 2016.

‘Obviously I’ve raised this case in the past. It’s important. I know that the policy of the US government to close Guantanamo Bay,’ the Prime Minister said.

Shaker Aamer, pictured left, and again right with his children, is the only remaining British resident imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay

‘So I think there is every opportunity... I hope to over time make some progress.’

Bernadette Meehan, spokeswoman for the US National Security Council, said: ‘Prime Minister Cameron raised this case with the President, and the President told him that he understands why this case is of great interest to the Prime Minister and the British people. The President committed to the Prime Minister that we will prioritise this case, while making sure any action taken is consistent with our national security.’

Share this article

Chances of an announcement of an intention to release Mr Aamer this week have been hampered by attempts by Republican Senators to limit releases from Guantanamo.

They have objected to the accelerated pace of releases from the Cuban facility in recent months, particularly in the light of terrorist attacks in Paris.

The hold-up in Mr Aamer’s release is understood to be because US authorities have cleared him for transfer to Saudi Arabia, but not the UK, despite him being resident in this country.

British officials, however, are seeking to persuade the US that they can address any concerns about a return to London.

Mr Cameron had been pressed to raise Mr Aamer’s case by MPs from across the political spectrum, including former Tory shadow home secretary David Davis, Lib Dem MP and former Home Office minister Norman Baker, and Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn.

Celebrity backers of a campaign to secure his release include Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, TV presenter Janet Ellis and her singer daughter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and the actress Juliet Stevenson.

Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama walk together at the White House, where they discussed the plight of British resident Shaker Aamer, who remains imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay

Mr Aamer is the only British resident to remain jailed at Guantanamo Bay (pictured). He has been held at the jail without charge for 13 years

Mr Aamer, who lived in south London with his wife and four children, was picked up in Afghanistan in 2002 and accused of being an ally of Osama bin Laden, a claim he strenuously denies. Though he has never faced any charge, he has been held by the US for 13 years.

The Mail revealed last week that Mr Cameron intended to raise Mr Aamer’s plight in talks with President Obama at the White House.

Mr Cameron sought to reassure the US President about Britain’s readiness to have Mr Aamer back, having already accepted 14 former Guantanamo residents – more than the whole of the rest of Europe.

‘The Prime Minister understands that the closure of Guantanamo Bay is a personal priority for the President. It is something we have worked together on,’ said one senior Government source.

‘They understand the importance of this last case to Britain. We now expect them to look at those cleared for transfer and how to get on with that.’

Cori Crider of Reprieve, who is one of Mr Aamer’s lawyers, said: ‘These are prisoners who have never been charged with a crime or tried, and whom the US has long determined pose no threat to anyone.’